wonder tale
by Suk-fong
Summary: In which there is marriage, a not marriage, mountain goats, feuding nations, those who cannot hold their liquor, passive aggressive courtship and perhaps some dragons. IchiRuki HitsuKarin Yuzu
1. In which Ichigo meets Rukia

_For The Milliner's Rook_

* * *

1. Couples are not changing from my opinions. So, deal or go away. Flame me, and I'll laugh it off. I have just enough confidence in what I'm writing to not be discouraged by a flame or two. (If there are more flames than reviews, I'm either not doing well or attracting the wrong readers.)

2. This story is rated T. So, this is your warning. This is rated Teen- there will be physical relationships, cursing, violence and adult themes. Violence is a part of life for heroes, and some teenagers. If you still want to read the story, there will be warnings on chapters with any graphic violence, and swearing is at a minimum. Physical relationships will not progress to the stage that it will make people too uncomfortable to read, even if insinuations are made.

3. I don't own Bleach. This disclaimer applies to the entire story. If there is a change in this status, I'll be sure to let you know. Got it? Good. I'll say this once more, for the last time this story: The blank are not mine. Thank you and good day (or night, or whatever it is where you are), keep being a great audience.

4. Chapter length will very. This will be a long story, and some chapters will have more happening in them. This is just a fact of fiction, especially fiction published (or close enough) so casually.

5. Constructive criticism accepted, appreciated, and noted. If a mistake somehow confuses the story, feel free to ask questions. If you ask a question in a review that merits an answer (no, plot points will not be disclosed), I'll post the response on the next chapter. Reviews help me know which parts of this story are good/could be better/are something to read while slitting wrists (well, I hope not, but you never know).

* * *

**A** long, long time ago in a land in the somewhat distance away from where you are standing now there were two warring countries.

Now, to be honest countries have always been at war, and these two countries would have been no different if it were not for the Kings of these countries.

See, King Isshin of the Kurosakis' did not like fights that he did not start. King Isshin had a somewhat sadistic mind in the form that his eldest son, Prince Ichigo the first had been trained to stop a drop kick from a dead slumber before he was five. King Isshin adored fights he and his advisor Sir Kieske Urahara started and plotted, but loathed any that he did not start.

Which leads us to why King Isshin tenth king of the Kurosakis' had decided to find peace with the warring nation of the Kuchikis who, among other things, had a big thing for neutral tones and pastel colours and silk scarves.

And if, one had asked Queen Masaki, formerly of the Noble house of Shiba, now of the Kurosakis and mother of all the heirs apparent, she would tell you that this peace was made solely so she and all the ladies of the court could finally get silk scarves and other finery that they had not received due to a little miscommunication over where borders lay.

And if anyone on either side had asked anyone with any geographical or common sense at the time ten centuries ago, the mountain range between the two nations could and should be declared neutral, as it is uninhabitable filled with various frightening and deadly beast and perhaps a few villains or two.

However no one did, and as such for ten centuries there has been war over three giant mountains and some mountain goats.

Needless to say someone, in the form of the youngest Kurosaki Princess, Princess Karin who prefers her official title, Princess Karin, the Dragon Tamer, of the Kurosakis, pointed out how stupid it was, and mentioned in passing at dinner one day in September over the dreadful mashed potatoes that "Ichigo's almost two score, and the Kuchiki Scarves have a girl about Ichigo's age, why don't they just get hitched?".

This was met with a choking of wine, Masaki thinking aloud about grandchildren, and a rather red Ichigo.

And promptly forgotten for several months by everyone but King Isshin.

Who, really was the one with whom Ichigo wished forgot the most.

Isshin thought, and thought and thought.

He kept on thinking until he thought he'd thunk. But then he became insecure and rethought everything.

Over and over this became a cycle until finally he couldn't think anymore.

Ichigo was almost two score and one, and his lovely daughters are ten and a half score plus two. There needs to be grandchildren soon, as Masaki keeps whispering into his ear. And Isshin will be damned, perhaps not so strong language will be needed, instead he will be darned if his lovely daughters are married while he is living, so Ichigo will be wed.

It took only an hour to draft a letter to Lord Byakuya of the House of Kuchiki.

Through the thankless and tireless work of an underappreciated archeologist a copy of the letter was retrieved, and translated.

_To the Honourable Lord Byakuya twentieth son of the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki,_

_I know our families have had our differences over boarders, however I do believe it is time to mend the hole, patch up the fence, mix the blood if you will._

_My son, Prince Ichigo the first, is of marrying age. He is the heir apparent of the kingdom, as you and your lovely wife are still young, your sister law, Lady Rukia now of the House of Kuchiki's marriage to my son would be greatly beneficial._

_Think about it will you?_

_Isshin King of the Kurosakis_

It was sent off by his fastest carrier peigon and in a month he had a three word response.

_That sounds agreeable._

Now, before we get overwhelmed by a rather big story that involves misunderstandings, weddings, not-weddings, and dragons and not-dragons, we need to first meet the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki.

Lord Byakuya Kuchiki is the twentieth leader of the nation lead by the House of Kuchiki. By all accounts he was very, very good looking man with striking aristocratic features. He had fallen in love with at the tender age of fifteen and had subsequently married Hisana, a hand maiden of no last name who was fourteen at the time.

He was, by all accounts a very loving and loyal man.

Justice and Honour were his backbone.

Apparently to the chagrin of his wife, as by all reports Lady Hisana Kuchiki was a soft spoken but wildely sarcastic woman who found her husband's never ending quest for Justice and Honour to be rather tiresome, and she would much rather explore the land, looking at rocks and old bones and such than meetings with people who disliked her because of her low born status.

In every piece of recorded history it should be noted that Byakuya Kuchiki and Isshin Kurosaki were extremely devoted to their wives, and worshiped the floor they stood on.

It then begs the question, why would Byakuya agree so easily to this demand?

I mean who would willingly let their beloved sister in law marry a complete stranger who was the son of their mortal enemy?

The answer isn't really certain, however it should be noted that the handwriting on the letter sent back to King Isshin was not Byakuya, but an exact match for Lady Hisana.

* * *

**N**ow, this was a time full of beautiful dresses, and impossibly hard to remove corests, which to the disappointment of many lads, and one Kurosaki Princess put a damper on premarital sexual shannigans, involving the top half of the girl's body. It was also the time of amazing balls and parties of the outlandish sort.

And so, in honour of the upcoming nuptials of Ichigo and Rukia a lavish ball was planned.

"I am against this on many, many levels." The only daughter favouring King Isshin said loudly, from her perch on a footstool being measured for a new gown for the ball in a fort week.

"You've said that already." Her companion, a tall pale man with hair as white as snow said bored, lounging on the wall near the window. "And if your mother or Lady Yuzu sees this they will have a fit. It's not-"

"Appropriate, yes, yes I know_. Ouch!_" Karin said impatiently, wincing as the seamstress poked her with a needle. "But you're my _knight_. And you're supposed to protect me right? So how can you protect me if you're not with me all the time?"

"I am not the one explain this to the Prince or your father."

"Dad'll be fine. He likes you." Karin turned to face him fully, the full red satin skirt moved with her. "What do you think?"

Toushirou scanned Karin twice quickly, then turned back to looking at the window. "It's okay."

"Thanks. Now more words?"

"It's a red skirt."

"Toushirou."

"Red is your colour."

"Why can't my knight who can lecture anyone on anything not string at least five words together to tell me if I look nice or not?" Karin asked the seamstress, who did not offer her opinion.

"Karin," Toushirou started.

"No, seriously. Is it too much to ask for you to just tell me I am pretty?" Karin said stepping off the footstool and with no difficultly, she walked directly in front of Toushirou and stared at him.

The difference in height was a bit humorous. She was a hair over five foot, and he towered over at five foot eleven and a half inches, as she liked to remind him.

Precision was of course needed when Princess Karin had to deal with a knight who didn't always listen to her.

"I'm not an ego booster." Toushirou told her before he left the room, leaving a sighing princess behind him.

* * *

**O**rihime Inoue had been, before the sudden political engagement to Rukia Kuchiki, the best candidate for the future Queen. She, as well as Sir Chad Sado the captain of the Royal Guard, and Physician Uryuu Ishida had been Prince Ichigo's closest companions growing up, and even now with her unwed, something slightly scandalous, and fills the gossip hags of the court that no one really likes, but Karin and that's only for gossip she can tease people about, with ideas of a torrid orgy with the before stated three men.

It's something everyone in the informed circle finds gut-wrenchingly hilarious.

You see, if one ignored the Captain's taste for the less fairer sex, and the fact the Physician and Princess Yuzu had a very passive-aggressive flirtation that has spanned almost two years, one could almost believe that this orgy was true.

But alas, history has predated old gossip and we all know how those affairs turned out.

So we move on.

"It's going to be a lovely party!" Orihime said, as she fluttered from one side of the ballroom to the other, watching the servants put up strands of garlands laced with lilies and pink blossoms.

Smiling, she moved towards her dearest friends. "Aren't you excited Ichigo? To see Lady Rukia?"

The crown prince had a surly expression that darkened with the mention of his new fiancée.

"Can't you see Orihime, he's practically jumping with joy." Ishida said dryly.

"Shut it." Ichigo muttered.

"I only tell the truth Ichigo," Ishida smirked. "If you dislike the truth so much why don't you change it?"

Ishida's words and pointed glance to the redheaded lady in their presence caused the prince to flush a pale shade of red and take a half step backwards.

"I said I'd do it." Ichigo spat from gritted teeth, as the door to the ballroom opened behind Ishida's back. "So I will."

"The lovely, lovely sense of duty you have," Ishida said, "will someday have you up in the Mountains chasing dragons."

Now, as I may or may not have said before the initial boarder dispute was for the Mountains, which were where mountain goats, evil villains, various mythological creatures and rocks were. Also a few of your average mad men with delusions of grandeur.

"Brother you're leaving?" A soft soprano voice thrilled from behind Ishida, causing him to freeze for a slight moment, and for Ichigo to break into a wide smile.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo held out his arms, and his middle sister dressed prettily in pastel pinks and purples moved to his side. "Not at all. Uryuu was simply being a bit of an asshole."

"Oh?" Yuzu looked up at Ishida from behind his bangs. Ishida had, in Ichigo's opinion, recovered very quickly and nicely with a look of disdained boredom scrawled across his face. "I find that very hard to believe."

"Believing is such a trivial term Princess." Ishida said drolly, "It makes you sound like one of those religious nuts."

"Uryuu!" Orihime admonished and hit him lightly. "What will your grandfather say?"

Ichigo didn't miss how his sister stiffened as Ishida's attention was turned to Orihime. He didn't know what the exact nature of their relationship was, and history won't tell us either. We are only left to speculate, and speculation involves a few stolen kisses and compromising positions in the Physician's room.

"He'd ignore me." Ishida said, "Or he would be contacting me from behind the grave."

Behind the young adults with interesting and intriguing love affairs, the door opened to the ballroom again and Queen Masaki with whom Yuzu was the spitting image if Queen Masaki, came waltzing in with bells and jewelry clanging.

"Children!" Masaki smiled, "How are you?"

"Mother!" Yuzu mirrored back an identical grin, and reached to hold her mother's hand.

"I am sorry Lady Orihime and Physician Ishida, I must take my children away now."

"Of course my Queen." Ishida bowed deeply. Orihime simply smiled as the Royals exited the ball room.

* * *

"**I** am incredibly bored." Karin said, from the top of the staircase where the entire family was waiting for the Kuchikis' grand entrance.

"Shh." Yuzu said tightening her grip on her twin's hand. "Not so loud."

"I know." Karin said quieter, "But as soon as this is all done we are cutting a rug like it's never been cut before."

"Of course." Yuzu said, "Are we not Kurosakis?"

Now this is something trivial, and as such is not really in any of the history books, but for the sake of the audience, I am sure you'd loved to know. Kurosakis can dance.

Anyone with that surname has the music and can feel the rhythm, making parties with Kurosakis the most happening dancing fun of all. And it should be noted this is all done without any liquor, but if you add liquor watch out, as no Kurosaki can hold their liquor and become rather…affected in odd ways when they've consumed them.

Kuchikis on the other hand cannot dance at all, they have no sense of rhythm and two left feet. Countless dance instructors have retired in anger after being unable to the teach the simplest of waltz to a Kuchiki. However Kuchikis can hold their liquor, and perhaps now aays we would say that have a bit of an alcohol abuse problem, but of course to them back then, three bottles of wine in and Lord Byakuya would make a funny joke!

It was with the flare of trumpets that announced the esteemed guests, and the tall ballroom doors opened with the help of six men on each side pulling, revealing three figures dressed in silk finery.

Lord Byakuya with his long black hair and ornaments stood tall and handsome in the center, with a small pretty woman with a dress matching his scarf on his right. On his left was the same girl.

Or rather a younger version of the pretty woman, but to Ichigo's view the girl was incredibly short and her hair did not lay flat at all.

He was thoroughly unimpressed.

That was his fiancée.

"My dear Lord Byakuya," Isshin started his voice booming, as he went down the many steps with his hand stretched out welcoming. Byakuya met him half way up the stairs, and there was a moment of complete, complete silence where you could hear ants crawling outside if ants dared to crawl at this moment when the two kings met.

Though this meeting was in the name of peace, no one was quite certain that war would not break out then and there.

Personally, Ichigo and Karin would have both preferred war to break out due to Ichigo's distaste of getting married, and Karin's love of trouble.

Plus the chaos would make it easier for her.

Instead the two kings shook hands warmly and sighs of relief (and two of disappointment) echoed around the large chamber.

"It is so lovely to see you." Isshin finished.

"The same to you Sire." Byakuya said, "Thank you for hosting us."

This was when both Karin and Ichigo lost interest in the conversation. Karin began trying to make subtle eye movements to Toushirou to tell him that she needs to talk to him; Ichigo began counting the number of feathers people were wearing.

If they had been paying attention, they would have remembered the introductions given and the curious once over glance Rukia gave Ichigo behind her fan.

But they didn't, and so the ball started with an opening number, where both the Royal couples began to waltz, or more precisely, Isshin and Masaki were waltzing; Hisana and Byakuya were trying not to kill themselves in an odd dancing incident.

Yuzu had quickly accepted a noble's man offer to dance with a quick glance at Ishida who was watching her, while Karin had disappeared as soon as the orchestra struck up its first notes.

This left Ichigo alone with a waiting Rukia.

It was a very awkward moment, as you might believe.

"Would you, er, like to dance?" Ichigo said hesitatingly.

For her part, Rukia blushed prettily and accepted his out stretched arm.

They both tried very hard not to ignore the entire room staring at them, and if anyone didn 't know better no one would know they were nervous.

However the slightly shaking hand barely resting on Ichigo's forearm, and his constant swallowing were sure indicators.

But none the less, despite Ichigo constant want, or to be more clear and exact, need to run in the opposite direction as one does when one knows their life is going to change forever in a direction they may not be exactly proud of nor happy about they began to dance.

Or rather Rukia being as small as she was, and quiet honestly a horrible dancer, found in her very cunning way, something that was only possible due to her long skirts stood on Ichigo's feet and faked it.

This went on for several dances and Ichigo was quiet glad that Rukia seemed to be on the quiet side, and the entire eveing and wedding would have past almost entirely uneventfully if a small incident had not happened.

And really, it is rather fortunate that the small incident did happen, as our story and history would have been quite boring and we would have been relegated into a rather boring tale of peace with not that many casualties, almost no mountain goats and definitely no dragons.

As it is, this small incident did happen, and so history and our story has unfolded the way we know it must have.

But before I go much further, I suppose I should tell you that if you look in your history books, particular chapter six through ten you will find the historical and what some academics consider truthful account of what happened in this period of time. I am not telling you that your history books are wrong, oh no that would be very stupid and unwise of me to say that those hard working under paid researchers are wrong. I am quite sure that all the facts and events there happened.

But see, history books are only good for what happened, not what people said or felt, and so this my wide eyed companions is where this story comes in.

Now after almost a full hour of Rukia standing on his toes, Ichigo suggested they chance a bite to eat, and as Rukia agreed they venture to a table.

Now no one knows for certain how this incident came to be, Ichigo claimed a black cat he would later name Mistoffolees crossed his path, causing his bad luck. Rukia would say that it was Ichigo's intention from the beginning. I cannot tell you which one is right at all, though I am partial to the cat; but regardless of which one you prefer the truth remains the same.

Ichigo Kurosaki, crown Prince and heir apparent to the throne a mere fifty-three minutes after meeting his fiancée, poured hot clam chowder soup down the back of Lady Rukia of the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki's brand new purple silk dress.

"Oh fuck." Ichigo had said into the very filled and now silent ballroom.

And then Rukia did something no one had every expected.

She reached up and smacked her fiancé upside his head and kick his knee. "You damn fool!" She yelled, and that echoed across the ballroom which has become like a tomb.

Now, what happens next?

* * *

"**W**ell that will put a damper on the wedding." The knight said dryly, from a small balcony in which Karin had dragged him to after her dodging of countless would be suitors.

She hadn't asked him to dance, nor had he offered; instead they had spent the time drinking wine, or for Karin apple juice and making droll, sarcastic comments about the nobles prancing about.

"Meh." Karin shrugged. "She's feisty. Brother will like that. Orihime is much too passive for him; she'll always give in to his whims."

Toushirou stared, he always thought that the two redheads would have been a handsome couple, and was rooting for them before Ichigo's engagement had been announced.

And afterwards too, if he was being honest, and since he was with Karin he was always honest.

"Then you're condemning Lady Orihime to a life of spinsterhood?"

"Of course not!" Karin was offended that Toushirou her closest companion and her dearest person not related to her by blood would even suggest that. "She'll end up with the Physician."

"Ishida? Don't he and Princess Yuzu have a relationship of sorts?"

If there was anything Sir Toushirou Hitsugaya tenth captain of the royal guard and personal knight for the youngest Kurosaki Princess knew for certain, was that Karin Kurosaki would sell her soul to the devil himself to ensure her sister's happiness.

"Of sorts." Karin answered easily, "But you know Shirou, they're so agnsty and passive aggressive that it's never going to work out, even if you ignore the fact that the Physician doesn't have any nobility to his blood. I mean, tonight Yuzu has danced with every eligible and non-scandalous man, while Ishida is dancing with Orihime. No, nothing's going on between them, they're just good friends. But she's trying to make him jealous so he asks her dance, because status and regulations prevent her from asking him to dance. And he won't ask her because he wants her to, or if not that manipulate the situation well enough that they have to dance. And Yuzu is not that manipulative."

"No that one's you."

"Exactly." She flashed him a winning smile.

They fell into silence and he rethought the words she said. _'…it's never going to work out, even if you ignore the fact that the Physician doesn't have any nobility to his blood…'_ It's true and he had less nobility than Ishida. He didn't know why his heart felt like stone then, and he wasn't going to dwell on it for longer.

"You know," she started, then stopped for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts.

That was knew to her as before Karin Kurosaki the youngest Princess and perhaps the littlest always leaped before she looked, jumping head first into murky water forgetting she didn't know how to swim just for her own amusement. For what's a day in bed, if you can have an amazing adventure the day before?

"You know I am very glad I will never be queen."

"Why?" Toushirou asked.

"I'm…I'm rotten."

"What?" She held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm vindictive…and manipulative…and everything good and pure I want to hide away and keep for myself and never let it shine for anyone but me. And I'm selfish." Karin took a deep breathe. "I'm not suited for this. Which is why I'm going."

"Where?"

"Not a clue." She smiled nervously. "It's an adventure. Will you come with me?"

He didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

* * *

And so we are off.

First, Happy _ my dear British Bird. As you know this swan song, epic is for which every important day I miss being on the other side of this globe.

Secondly, I do hope you (the general public) enjoy this as it was quite hard to write as I am for some ungodly reason using past tension and sleep deprived and running on empty coffee fumes with a hangover perhaps the size of a small child and my adorable kitty is playing with a damn ball with a bell in it at almost eleven when I should be asleep if it were not for the fact I am waiting up so I do not sleep alone because some fool of a boyfriend decided to play intermual volleyball.

Don't expect the rest for at least another week or two, I have too many term papers due.

Love you darling


	2. In which there is a marriage of sorts

_For The Milliner's Rook_

* * *

**N**ow my dear listeners, I am sure you can image the outrage and the rumours that swept the court and kingdoms after that incident. Anything I describe will be surely be less than what your imagination wants, so I'll let you imagine the outrage yourself.

However I will be more than happy to share some of the more interesting newspaper titles with you.

'Princess gets clam jammed'

'Witch hunt for demon cat begins'

'Prince tells Princess to take him in a crowd'

'Runaway Princess'

Now that last one has absolutely nothing to do with the soup incident, but everything to do with Karin.

However we are getting ahead of ourselves, and instead we need to go back to just after Karin and Toushirou left.

You see they didn't leave unnoticed, though Karin would have sworn they did. Toushirou, of course would not tell her otherwise, and let her believe that the trip scaling down the outside of the castle, then up the castle walls and with a huge leap of faith into an old tree, where Karin got stuck and needed help to climb down, was completely silent and they left without being noticed by the captain of the guard, the captain of the special forces, and of course the royal advisor and her godfather.

This was also where Toushirou and Karin found out about Karin's crippling fear of heights, that manifested itself in rather long but somewhat silent anxiety attack that made it had for her to breathe, and thus spent two hours in a tree with her hyperventilating.

At this point Toushirou honestly thought it would have been much easier if they had just walked out the front door.

Not that he would tell Karin, because as small as she was, she could still punch like a man, and the last time he said something she didn't agree with and was completely and utterly offended he had a black eye for weeks.

No one ever let him live that down.

But you see, the point I am trying to make, and I am quite sure was lost in all of the descriptions was, that they were seen, Karin did not know, though Toushirou did.

And one could argue successfully, that Toushirou made sure they were seen.

This of course could lead to some backlash, and has by some academics. Why would Toushirou, who as we all know was extremely loyal to Karin, to the point in The Thousand Year War gave his life for her's let them be seen?

Now, before I get into some academic debates, let us face simple facts. He was a young, attractive personal knight who was two years shy of being two score of a very beautiful Princess, only a year younger who wished to disappear into the night. By making sure they were seen he was both letting the right people know she would be alright and protect himself from slander, saying he kidnapped the Princess.

Of course, nothing could he do about the rumors that he had claimed her and they were leaving for a wedding, which as we all know has persisted to this day; however there has never been any records at all that the two were ever joined in marriage. Though Princess Karin's suicide during the The Thousand Year War could be seen as following her lover to the grave.

But again, I get off track. This is not a story of The Thousand Year War. No, no, that story is far too grim, and nowhere near as interesting as this one.

So yes, they were seen.

"When?" Queen Masaki said, putting down her embroidery in a private chamber after the great debacle that was once an engagement ball. She always found sewing a great stress relief, and after that night she went on to embroider two beautiful twenty foot tapestries, still on display today.

"Just past eleven my Lady." Urahara said, from his position.

"Well, can't say we didn't see that coming." King Isshin said mildly.

"They'll have to be wed of course." Queen Masaki said, taking up her embroidery again. "When they return."

"My Queen," Yourichi, the head of the secret guard started, "I mean no disrespect, but the law forbids their marriage."

"Change it."

"It's hard to change a law-"

"My daughter will not have slander following her because she and her knight disappeared." Masaki's eyes flashed, and this was when everyone on the room was reminded that before she was queen, Masaki had been of a far northern country known for violence, and had been a champion archer. "You are king. Change the laws to allow commoners and Royals to marry. If you don't, we'll all become inbred."

"My dear, we can't change laws like that." Isshin snapped his fingers. "There are processes, legislatives, councillors and other annoying people to make sure the needs of the many continue to outweigh the needs of the few."

"We are a monarchy. Not a democracy." Masaki said calmly. "I will not have my first grandchild be hidden away and be labelled a bastard because of some ancient old laws you refuse to change."

"Masaki it is not that-"

"If I may interrupt," Urahara said, hastily intervening and trying his best to prevent his king from sleeping on the floor, "what if I and Captain Yourichi go with them. Call it an impromptu tour of the country by the Princess. Saves everyone's reputation, and lets her stretch her wings and gives you time to work magic on the legislators."

"And magic will be worked." Said Masaki in a voice that was very sweet and innocent, and made everyone know that if magic was not worked, and the law was not changed Isshin was in big trouble.

Now, one can of course assume what type of big trouble he would be in.

* * *

"**Y**ou need to fix this." Lady Hisana was a small, waifish like woman, who looked like she would just disappear in the slightest breeze. However when she was mad, as she was mad now, glaring at her sister proving the hell hath no fury like a woman mad at her sister.

That does not roll across the tongue nearly as nicely as it should. But we digress.

"He poured soup down my dress!" Rukia said, motioning to the ruined dress that lay across a chair in a private chamber delegated to the members of the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki. She stomped her foot for added emphases.

"An honest mistake." Hisana waved her sister's protest away, "Something you should have smiled and laughed at. _Not slap him upside his head and kick his shins in front of his subjects._"

"An honest mistake." Rukia shot back.

"_Rukia_!"

"Dearest," Lord Byakuya jumped into the conversation then. Never let it be said that Lord Byakuya was not a smart man, for he, as well as every animal in the land, could tell that his beloved wife, looking so innocent and picturesque in pale pink lace and silk was going to rip her sister's head off and have her guts for a garter belt any second then. "Dearest, perhaps this is taking the wrong approach-"

"The wrong approach?!" Hisana laughed. "Oh love, tell me how this is taking the wrong approach? Why any and every courtship starts and blossoms immensely with soup being poured down the young woman's back, and then the young woman in return slaps the young man upside his head, curses him and kicks his shins. I mean, times may have changed since you courted me. But surely, in almost ten score and three years, things cannot have changed so drastically!"

Byakuya winced, and held up a hand. "Stop. Let me rephrase, and finish. Perhaps we were too hasty to agree to this marriage."

Rukia was nodding along eagerly.

"But we were not the one who wanted to marry out of the kingdom-"Hisana retorted, but fell silent when her husband held up his hand again. She did glare in defiance.

"Not everyone falls in love at first sight dearest." Byakuya reminded, and from a snort coming from his sister law, he quickly added more. "Not that we did of course, but love takes time to grow, over exposure. And marriage must be worth everything. So I have another proposal."

"Because the first one has worked so well."

"Dearest."

"I'm sorry. Please finish."

"Why don't we instead have a hand-fasting?"

"A what?" Hisana's voiced dropped in confusion.

Byakuya pinched his nose. "Do you remember when we traveled a far a few years ago?"

"Of course. We went to the land of the always rain." Hisana said dismissively.

It is here I should note that the Kuchikis were within the first of Royalty to explore distant lands and meet other rulers, besides their neighbours.

"There this odd bird, the one who stood outside of the room and looked in and made notes, remember her? I talked to her and she told me of hand-fasting, a faux wedding ceremony, where the marriage is only for a year, with ribbons instead of rings."

"You want Rukia to live in a false marriage? And what of the children that come from this false marriage of ribbons, do they disappear after a year too?"

"Why are we talking of children?" Rukia interjected worriedly. "I agreed to marriage, not children."

Her sister and brother-in-law both stopped their bantering and stared at the young girl. I am not quite sure how the facts of life were explained to Royalty or to anyone really back then, but I assume they were.

I also assume you, yourself know all about the facts of life and will not need me to explain it to you, simply because I have already done that to my own offspring, and I refuse to reiterate the entire conversation out of the huge scars and the plain and simple fact that I should not have a discussion on this subject with my offspring.

The married couple ignored the engaged one.

"How on earth do you think they will agree to that?" Hisana asked. "We are in no position to make demands. We were completely in the wrong."

"Soup on dress." Rukia pointed to the ruined dress. "Scalding is bad. And hurts."

"We will make them Dearest."

"Oh yes love." Hisana sighed, "The threating them with paper cuts, lemon juice and scarves again."

* * *

**T**here are certain groups of people who love to go see their Physician. Perhaps because it is the only human contact on their skin that is not familiar. Or perhaps they just generally like sitting on cold tables with cold metal pressed on their chest, the smell of disinfectant, and rubber gloves.

Now, medical practises have changed in the past several hundred years, however the same sense of dread and un-comfortableness associated with going to see the Physician has not changed.

This is why history has always described the middle Kurosaki child as being a very ill girl, due to many visits to the Physician from when she was one score and five years of age to one score and almost eight years.

They would not of course, dare to assume that these visits were of a purely social nature.

But of course they were.

Now, this will be a surprise for you all when I tell you that it was not the youngest Kurosaki Princess who was, in the words of the time 'impure', oh no, see Karin had Toushirou with her every waking moment. They also had a very tangled and intricate relationship, one that was knotted and twisted and I'll leave for later.

You see, everyone would fuss over her siblings, and thus Princess Yuzu was often overlooked. She melded into the background, which is where presumably she met the royal Physician for the first time.

Without trying to sound cryptic and villianify the Physician, Uryuu Ishida was however drawn mostly to the shadows. He was impassive, and his name is written only twice in the biggest history book of this period, making him seem very unimportant.

Not much is known about Uryuu Ishida, and even little is known about the affair that went on between him and the Princess.

However it was said that the entire affair was one of passive aggressiveness and possessiveness.

Perhaps this mutual feeling of being pushed aside was what seduced the innocent Princess to the cunning Physician.

Or perhaps it was the bored Princess who seduced the impassive Physician

"It's late." Ishida did not look up from his book when the door opened, and his candle flickered in the wind let in.

"You've never cared about the time before." Yuzu said, "Shall I go?" Her hand was resting on the door knob.

"No." She let go of the door handle and moved to sit beside him.

"I'll stay then."

"Not for long." Ishida warned, not looking up from his book. "Your parents will even be wearier now that your sister has left."

"With Toushirou." Yuzu pointed out. "Nothing will happen to Karin without Toushirou dying first, and his soul in heaven and his ghost will haunt her until the day she dies, keeping her alive."

"You sound so cynical." Ishida commented, "Where is the daydreaming girl?"

"Perhaps she grew up."

Ishida scoffed. "No, if she grown up she would have danced with me at the ball last night."

Yuzu flushed. "Well then perhaps she's dead."

"Dead?"

Yuzu pushed her chair away from the table, making a dull sound on the stone floor as she stood. "Perhaps you murdered her."

She turned to leave, when Ishida's hand suddenly shot out and wrapped around her wrist, halting her escape.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because," Yuzu said turning, and with her free hand she closed his book and gently turning his face to her direction. "You barely looked at me at all that night. That certainly can murder a daydreaming heart."

Ishida's hand let go off her wrist, and moved to her waist, and drew her close. "But not the daydreaming girl."

They were only a whisper away, and Yuzu could count his eyelashes if she wanted to. "But what is a girl without her heart?"

One heartbeat, then two.

And then with a whisper, "A woman." Ishida let go of Yuzu, and reopened his book, and lost interest in the conversation.

Yuzu rocked on her heels, and with the practise ease of having to beg for kisses and affection she easily masked her feelings.

"You should go. It's almost ten."

She didn't say anything when the door closed behind her.

* * *

**I**t was a private meeting between the married Royals, and the ones who were still effectively engaged, despite Ichigo's swearing up and down with loud protests to both his parents, Orihime, Chad and Ishida that 'there was no way in any circle of hell he was going to marry the psychotic midget'.

This was also amid loud and violent protests, and shin kicks that were easily avoided due to the many years of training since Rukia developed that habit.

"I will not marry her." Ichigo repeated loudly, for the tenth time that hour. "She's rabid _and kicks_!"

"Rabid? _Rabid_? Oh I will show you rabid you stupid fool." Rukia snarled before turning to her sister and brother. "He's rude and loud, and his hair is unnaturally coloured."

"I'm rude? I don't go around insulting people's NATURAL hair colour."

"No you just pour soup on them!"

Masaki blinked several times in repeat succession. She then turned to her fellow spectators, who were also in awe at this loud shouting match in which the usually dignified and calm Prince and Princes were reduced to arguing four year olds.

"I do see the need for a trial period my Lord." Masaki murmured. Byakuya nodded in acknowledgement.

Truly his plan had work far better than he had ever possibly imagined. Of course he had not factored in how shrill Rukia could get, or how many times Ichigo's voice would echo in the vast stone room.

"Would it be wrong," Isshin said under his breathe, "to take bets on how many dishes are smashed in the course of this faux marriage?"

"We'll reimburse you." Hisana answered from the corner of her mouth. "Don't let my sister get into any antiques when she's mad."

"Duly noted. My son has a hero complex, both a very good thing and a huge annoyance. Don't let Rukia get herself in any sort of trouble after this year, my son will feel he's honour bound to go to the ends of the earth, disrupting any ad everyone's way of lives that do not coincide with his own to rescue her."

"She kicks and can't draw."

"They could almost be a handsome match." Masaki commented.

"They are," Hisana answered, "if one filters out all the screeching."

This went one for almost an hour before Byakuya decided to save his ear drums, and to make sure there was still some wealth in his country because the bets between Isshin and Hisana were truly getting out of hand.

"Enough." He said it in his voice, usually reserved for terrifying his enemies and making their legs and bones turn to jelly. "It has been decided already. For one year's time you, Lady Rukia of the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki will be acting wife to Prince Ichigo Kurosaki, heir apparent to the throne. This will happen."

Rukia fell silent, already knowing that times of negotiation were already long past. Ichigo however ran forward, not knowing he was setting himself for an ambush.

"No. I refuse. I absolutely refuse to marry this girl."

"It's not a marriage Ichigo. It's a hand-fasting. And yes you will hand-fast with Lady Rukia." Isshin said finally.

"No."

"Ichigo." Masaki said softly, causing her son to turn to her, with a look of pleading and desperation.

"Mother…"

"Be a man Ichigo, hold her hands and let your father and Lord Byakuya tie ribbons around them."

"Bu-"

Any of their complaints fell on deaf ears, leaving a now very certain fate of being hand-fasted to each other.

Now, records of hand-fasting ceremonies are vague, and surely what the Kuchikis and the Kurosakis did that night was not the exact ceremony, as they were doing something that Byakuya remembered being retold to him by a foreign woman who may not have known all the specifics, and that's not even factoring in a language barrier as some things may not translate as nicely as one might wish.

Such as the name 'hand-fasting', that sounds horrible, you would think there would have been a nicer name for it all. But alas, there isn't, and so we are stuck with this horrid name to describe the ceremony that most definitely changed, if not the course of history then at least the course of the lives of the six people in the room.

And again, ceremony is not the word I would use, because a ceremony is a word with certain connotations, one of regal and noble intentions, something scared and much bigger than two young adults grudgingly holding hands and glaring at each other, while their father and brother-in-law, respectively tied a large red silk ribbon around their hands.

This was not a wedding, which must be incredibly clear.

A wedding usually had vows; this was met with stony silence as objections were made for an hour by the participants and ignored.

They were ignored because this was what was declared and decided was best for both Ichigo and Rukia. Now at this time, I will pause this tale to dwell on this small idea. What is best, and who is the one who decides what is best?

Obviously, this hand-fasting was what was decided was best, but was it best for Ichigo and Rukia? Perhaps if his parents, and her sister and brother-in-law had not interfered they would have chosen their own mates out of their own specific mate criteria. Perhaps Ichigo would have been much happier with Orihime and Rukia with Byakuya's personal knight, Renji.

But of course, we are forgetting that romantic love something so common to us, is something only a few centuries old. We would have, had we lived in their time, not been able to choose our own spouses, instead our spouses would have been chosen by our family by their wealth, social status, family status and political affiliation or power.

Thus Rukia and Ichigo were both accustomed to this reality, and accepted without argument. Rather I should clarify, they accepted that they would marry someone of their families' choosing but rejected the idea of marrying each other due to their conflicts over soup and being kicked in the shins.

This entire age was one where you did not marry the one you loved, but you grew to love, and if by chance you were lucky, fall in love with the one you married.

It must be noted that the only exceptions to this were Lord Byakuya and Lady Hisana Kuchiki. Everyone else at that time were married to someone of their families choosing, and now looking back at that, could you honestly say that King Isshin and Queen Masaki were not happy?

Of course, during this era, only one other couple involving a Kurosaki married for love and of their own choice, than an arrange marriage.

But that is getting ahead of ourselves.

And with the ribbon tangled around their hands, Prince Ichigo Kurosaki and Lady Rukia of the Great and Noble House of Kuchiki were bound in a hand-fasting that would last one year.

And what a year that would be.

* * *

**E**lsewhere that same night, something that had never happened in all of the recorded history between those two kingdoms, happened.

Simultaneously, by all accounts at least, both royal libraries were set on fire and hundreds and thousands of countless historical scrolls, beautiful literature, real estate deeds, and birth certificates, marriage certificates and many other important things that far too numerous to list.

Both buildings were burnt to the grown that night.

This was an act of war.

* * *

There are several things here that are of the more anthropological/historical nature. A byproduct directly related to my own career and studies, which will easily be seen throughout this story.

The most obvious here being the concept of romantic love, which is a very "new" notion, something from the top of my head is from the eighteenth century at earliest, probably around the late 18th century and early 19th century. I think it originated in Europe, but again do not quote me on that, as marriage is not my area of expertise, and I am in a rather anti-marriage phase.

Hand-fasting marriage is something I know nothing about, but the concept of a temporary marriage, or a trail period is also found in Turkey, where there is a liminal period of 40 days before a couple is truly married is something I know a bit more of.

Again marriage is not my expertise, nor is Turkey a country of my expertise. It was however, in the first year of my undergrad, a country one of my textbooks focused on exclusivity.

It is also daylights savings, which is why I justify staying up this late, and drinking half a bottle of wine by myself due to the boyfriend working late and my own work tomorrow morning. I have an hour more of sleep to rid myself of a wine hangover. Lovely.

Now it's also Movember, so please support anyone in their growing of a mustache. I know I hate this time of month, because my boyfriend attempts to grow facial hair, which really is more of stubble. But still, I digress. Support research to end prostate cancer.

Also an update the boyfriend has now ran faster than the bus from our place to our campus. I'm not sure how to respond to that besides with sarcasm.

Thank you to everyone's kind words of encouragement and for those who favourited or followed this story, thank you.

Goodnight, and Birdie here ya go!


	3. In which there is a sharing of beds

_For The Milliner's Rook_

_And in memory of my "tournie Mommy" Monique._

_I hope you rest in peace._

_All my love._

* * *

**N**ow my dears, that was a rather long tea break. I do realize we said an hour or so, but truly that was unnecessarily long.

I almost forget where we were in this story, and well that will make this much longer and convoluted, so I do hope you are happy.

So we will instead do an interlude of sorts.

A brief history lesson my dears, with the exception of married couples men and women did not share the same bed. Now of course, this was before we had homosexual and heterosexual designations, everyone was assumed to be hetrosexual. Of course those who were not did exist, why the Captain of the Guard seemed not to prefer the company of women at all, but alas we do not know much of his personal life as he is not the subject of countless history books.

Now, if you remember how Karin and Toushirou stole away in the night, as I said previously, they had been exploring we shall, say the Eastern half of the kingdom.

Let us begin with them.

"It's so…itchy." Karin said again, shifting the woolen dress they had traded her satin dress for. "People actually wear these? And not as punishment?"

"Yes." He said for the seventh time. "You always admired these dresses Karin."

Toushirou had at her assistance dropped the tile, as a way for them to blend in with her people. Though Karin's articulation and general disbelief at gender norms were not obvious indicators that she did not belong.

He wondered for a brief moment, when the store keeper leered at her and then made a very unsubtle remark about how he'd give them the dress for free for a few minutes in the backroom with Karin, if he would have to prevent Karin from killing that man.

Of course he was ignoring his large instinct to pummel the man who the mere suggestion. Instead he roughly bargained for the dress, while sneaking an arm around her waist, to hold her back and flashing his sword discreetly as they exchanged coins.

He then quickly took the girl out of the store before her hold on her temper failed her.

A rather loud, and violent, not to mention colourful triade excaped from the princess as she changed behind a tree followed, thus bringing them to where he have found them.

"Why?"

"I…because of the lack of petticoats?"

"Pretty things are only pretty when you don't have to wear them." Karin scowled, kicking a pebble, "Then it's just hell in itchy clothes."

"I see."

"No you don't Toushirou." Karin snapped. "You don't have a damn corset."

"If you are going to yell every time I talk, I'm just going to stop." Toushirou said, his patience's gone. Karin had a look of surprise that was quickly squashed and became a look of anger that matched his expression of annoyance.

They walked for several miles in silence, before it was near sunset.

"Toushirou," Karin started her tone softer, that one could even call apologetic. "Let's stop for food."

He nodded curtly, and didn't react when she snuck her hand into his. He led her towards an inn, knowing that besides food, Karin was exhausted. They had been walking for several miles without a horse, because no had been willing to sell a horse so close to harvest.

The innkeeper did not raise an eyebrow when the young white haired man booked a room for his and his young wife.

If he had look closer, he would have notice the way the white hair man shifts uncomfortably and the young wife flush red.

* * *

**T**he first night of the hand-fasted marriage of Prince Ichigo and Lady Rukia was not filled with passion and a lovely embrace. There were no kind words, and nothing in the way of heir making.

Instead they argued all night.

"Fool."

"Midget."

"Oaf"

"Bunny-freak."

"Orange haired weirdo."

"Shut up." Ichigo said turning around and flopping on the large four poster canopy bed. He tried unsuccessfully to ignore the small princess he had just married, and instead counting the patterns on the velvet.

Rukia, on her end however was rather nervous, though she tried her best not to show it. This was the first person with whom she would share a bed with, and she knew exactly what would happen when she entered the bed.

Now, Ichigo did not want to bed his hand fasted wife, he was not happy about this union and he was not going to do anything to Rukia. Of course, Ichigo's opinion on the matter was never said aloud so Rukia was terrified she would lose her virginity.

Now this is the time where I feel we must speak about the virginity of the four royals and their various companions, as this will eventually become a very big point, in the emotional ties with this story. I have said before that the history books have the facts, and if you want to know the story, just the main points then go read a history text book; this is the filler, the emotional story I am telling. The sex lives of these people is of no interest to the history book, but it is everything to me.

Ichigo unsurprisingly like every good prince and heir had long lost his virginity, to a certain lady whom I will not name, but only leave you to speculate. Rukia, like any proper lady was a virgin, and at the night was completely set on staying a virgin for the year this hand-fasted marriage , whether that happened we'll get to that later.

Toushirou was not a virgin, again like many men at the time, having lost his virginity to his former employer. Karin however, was a virgin, much to her frustration. Toushirou was very thorough in making sure any and every suitor Karin had would never visit at unseemly hours. Toushirou himself is another matter.

Following this trend, it makes no secret that Uryuu was not a virgin, however what is shocking is that the sweet darling Yuzu was not one either. Now I alluded to that fact earlier, but I am now out right stating this.

Please do not get upset, and yell and scream and tell me that you do not think Princess Yuzu is not a virgin, that she would never be deflowered, she's too young, or something along those lines. I do not have the time, nor patience to rebuttal all of those complaints. Please just accept the fact that she was not, and move on.

Now you may ask, why on earth is this relevant? Well my darlings, besides a very intresting commentary on gender norms in the times long ago; this is a story of love, and with love comes the physical manifestation of love, sex. And we cannot discuss this matter without discussing sex, as it will play very heavily in the upcoming events.

But that aside, we return to the unhappy marriage chamber, the once single Prince Ichigo's room. This room was an obvious bachelor's pad, lacking a women's touch as Ichigo had forbid any maids from entering his room once he turn one score and three.

There were old clothing hanging off the back of chairs, and books open to random pages with foolscap littering the floor. Rukia was huddled near the door, her arms wrapped around herself, in an effort to make her feel stronger, and more confident.

Her husband lay on the unmade bed, and rolled onto his side, leaving his back to face her.

This moment, is one of urban stories, one we all know, just like how Prince Ichigo cursed at the site of any cat.

This is the moment when Lady Rukia unwrapped her arms from around her torso, stuck her chin out and straightened her shoulders.

"Your room is a mess, and I refuse to sleep in the same bed." She told him.

"Are you sleeping on the floor?" Ichigo said.

Rukia laughed curtly, and her new husband watched as his pint size wife, flipped her hair, opened the closet door and shut it loudly.

* * *

**R**omance is something that stories say comes easy. People know what words to say, how to flirt and how to dance. As in any story there is a bit of a small kerfuffle that breaks the intended two up, before fate brings them back together, however this is not a story. This is history, and true life. Romance is not easy, and people do not end up with who they always want to end up with.

Yuzu, though was firmly convinced she was the heroine of a beautiful larger than life romance. Which is why she was spending several hours trying to pen the best letter to send to Ishida.

_My Dearest U.,_

_Time feels so slow when we are apart. I hope you realize you are the fondest non royal in my heart_-

"Darnation!" Yuzu cried, then quickly looked around to see if there were any ladies in waiting in the near vicinity. Her reputation would be shot if anyone learnt she had sworn.

She tossed the started love letter into the fire, and watched as the parchment turn black and into ashes.

This was much harder than she had expected. Putting thoughts to paper in a way that elegantly translated into feelings and would reach Uryuu was almost impossible.

What could she possible say to the man who taught her how to love, showed her how beautiful she was? This man was the one whom was jealous in public when she was dancing with other men, but would never look at her, he was possessive when they were alone, and tender in the nights she spent with him.

She loved him with all her heart.

Yet writing to him was so hard.

Truthfully, Yuzu had not even thought about writing a love letter to Ishida. Their affair while true, and passionate was one that must be handled subtly. They were of two very different positions, and while she knew they would be wed eventually, right now they must be secretive.

Thus there were no need for love letters.

Oh she knew what they were, for she had seen her sister right one every night to Toushirou before sealing and burning them never to give them to the knight, who was trying so hard to ignore her sister's advancing.

For that everyone in the family gave Toushirou their greatest admiration, for everyone knew how stubborn and persuasive the youngest Kurosaki could be.

But it was a lady's maid, showing the latest letter her lover sent her, and going on and on about how romantic it was that made Yuzu decide to write to Ishida.

Unfortunately she had no talent for putting words on the page and it all ended up sounding atrocious.

_My dearest heart,_

_So long the days, and so cold the nights are without you._

_I long to hold you, and kiss you again, but I understand that we must be apart._

_Oh if only parting was not so hard and lonely._

_But I will survive your absence, for I know my love that great things are coming, and soon we will never part._

_For anything worth having and worth fighting for is never easy. But it is always worth it._

_And this, my love, this is worth it._

_I will wait ten thousand days, and then ten thousand more. And if I must, I will wait twenty more thousand days until we can be together again, with no fear of being ridiculed, or face any scorn._

_The day is soon my love, I can feel it. And I cannot wait to be beside you again._

_All my love and all my soul,_

_Forever yours,_

_Y_

She set the quill down, and reread her latest attempt.

It was still horrible, but at least it was a model that she could work with. Perhaps, eventually she would have some sort of letter that would at least be send-able.

Alas, it seemed like today was not the day that she would write an ideal love letter.

Frowning she waved the parchment back and forth, trying to dry the ink.

* * *

**L**ady Orihime was one of Prince Ichigo's closest companions, and was a trendsetter for most of the court. Before anyone got royal approval they must be liked and like Lady Orihime to ensure a successfully social life at court.

Rukia did know this, and was very worried for the day that Lady Orihime had told Ichigo she would stop in for tea. If Lady Orihime disliked her, the year would be very long and lonely, and seeing as Princess Karin had gone on the tour of the kingdom, and Princess Yuzu was presently engaged in trying to improve her penmanship, she had been rather pressed for company of the lighter sex.

Her back was also very sore from sleeping on the ground in Ichigo amour, but she refused to share a bed with the orange haired menace who she was (not really) married to. There was no one making her, and while she didn't doubt that her brother –in-law, and her (fake) father-in-law could, they were not.

"Deep breathe." Rukia muttered under her breathe. "Be calm, you can do this."

"Hallo!" Rukia jumped, and saw Lady Orihime smiling sunnily, as she was led into the draw room. She would never get used to these accents the Kurosaki Kingdom had. Everything was said harsh and quickly, and everyone was loud. "I haven't had a chance to really meet the wife of Ichigo!"

Rukia hid her shock at how affectionately Lady Orihime called her husband by name. Even she had not done that.

_Cultural differences_, she reminded herself, _you are in a different country, they are childhood friends, of course she must be familiar with him_.

"I am honoured you agreed to see me." Rukia said, making sure her words did not come across stiff or uneven. She was determined to make sure she would be liked.

Lady Orihime laughed gaily, "Anyone important to Ichigo is important to me!"

"Thank you Lady Orihime." Rukia said sincerely.

Lady Orihime sat down at the tea table and reach across to touch Rukia's gloved hand with her own. "Please drop the formalities, call me Orihime, all my friends do."

Rukia noted that even if she said that, only the royal family, the captain of the guard and the physician seemed to take Lady Orihime up on the offer of going by first names.

This was dangerous territory she was treading; if she refused she would be seen as standoffish, and if she agreed…well she would be seen as a pushover.

Which is better? Which is worse?

"Please call me Rukia then."

Orihime beamed at her brightly. "We'll be such good friends Rukia! I just know it! I was, though surprised at how fast Ichigo and you were married. Why I thought we'd have a great ball, but I know Ichigo highly hates public events. He doesn't like being in the public eye, did you know? Well of course, you did. And after the last one where…well you know, I was quite sure you were going to walk out and never have anything to do with Ichigo again. Which is quite sad, he's a lovely man, very charming, though extremely difficult I will not lie, but Uryuu-oh he's the physician, he has glasses and he's not scary, not like everyone thinks he is-anyway he said you two would marry and have a million loud children and he'd never get any sleep! And well I'm not sure why you have children would affect Uryuu's sleeping habits, it seems like he was right! About the marriage, not you have a million children because honestly, that is such a large amount of babies and I don't know if a human can have a million children. I know fruit flies can have millions but I don't think humans can…"

Rukia blinked in response, as the orange haired woman drew a breathe.

"Anyway, as I was saying. There are aren't many women in court, well there are-you've seen them, the ladies in waiting, but their mainly around Yuzu and Karin, though Karin has managed to get them running around looking for her. She's not here is she? Uryuu and Chad both think she's gone and run off with Toushirou because otherwise they can't marry, but I don't think Karin would do that. She loves her family too much to marry in secret. Though the law should change, because Karin has been in love with Toushirou for years, though Toushirou's too thick to do anything about it, and he's got it in his head that their stations are permanent so he won't make a move and Karin is much too insecure with him to make a move either. So everyone is worried that Karin and Toushirou will never marry and instead be stuck together forever, platonically, with enough unresolved sexual tension to blow up the mountains."

"Karin's…what?" Rukia said slowly, trying to follow the conversation.

"Yes, I know. It's very tragic, the type love stories are made out of. Of course Toushirou will never admit it, but he's in love with her as well. He almost beheaded a foreign prince, he had yellow hair and very shiny teeth for calling her his first love. The foreign prince called Karin that, not Toushirou. Although the tiny woman with the foreign prince beat Toushirou to it, she threw her shoe at the prince-her shoe! I had never seen anyone throw a show at royalty, if they weren't royal themselves. It great big scandal, two years back. But then, well we all knew that Toushirou was in love with Karin."

"I…see."

"Oh good! And Yuzu is such a romantic, she hasn't show a faintest look of interest to any man who comes to court her. Of course that leaves tongues wagging, saying that men are not her cup of tea. But that's of course balderdash! Really people and their gossip, Yuzu is in love." Orihime nodded, and leant across the table. Rukia found herself leaning in as well, curious about what Orihime would say next. "But it shan't work out. And my heart breaks when she realizes that."

* * *

**N**ow my dears, we have gone so long talking about the heroes of this story, that we have not mentioned the villain.

I should tell you, that if you want a rather unbiased account where historians, and other people try to puzzle out the why there was a man as horrible as Aizen, check a history book, or several to get a rather large account.

I will not be unbiased, and I will not be nice.

Anyone who burns libraries is not a good person and one who I will not shy away from being cruel and honest about Aizen.

Not much is known about Aizen's younger days, though one historian has claimed he fathered the Lady Momo of Hinamori's bastard child.

That is of course, possible true. We have no way of knowing as no DNA survived with Aizen and no DNA survived of the bastard child, so we cannot do a paternity test. We do know that Lady Hinamori wrote in her diary of a bespectacled man with pretty hair and a very charming personality who visited her every night for a year.

But we digress, as that's not the point.

The point is now, the fact that Aizen is evil.

Pure evil, pure horrible evil who burns library for the laughs.

Aizen was in the mountains, the mountains that no went to, except some stray mountain goats.

No one knows where he came from, or why he was there. But we know Aizen was up in the mountains plotting.

And Aizen plotting is never good.

It's very bad, and we all know how this turns out.

I just wished it didn't happy.

And now I refuse to talk about him anymore.

So do not ask, my dears about him. I won't tell you anymore.

* * *

**T**oushirou didn't know how to react. When he had asked for a room at the inn, he didn't specify or even allude to the idea that he and Karin were involved.

Not that he didn't like that idea, just that it was not proper. And Toushirou Hitsugaya had made it his mission that this trip was going to be proper and only that.

He did not foresee the one large bed in the center of the room he had rent for the night coming, though in retrospect he probably should have.

"What's wrong?" Karin turned to face him.

"We should go get a second room." Toushirou said quickly, turning to leaving.

"Don't."

He stopped and turned, and watched Karin flush, before she cleared her throat and finished her sentence. "Don't. It's a waste of money and we don't have a lot of that."

He turned her words over in his head. Karin was right, they did not have a lot of money and it would be expensive if they continuously kept on getting two rooms.

However not doing so, compromises Karin's virtue, and reputation and he cannot have that.

"Look Toushirou for tonight we'll be fine. Tomorrow we'll think if something better." Karin said quickly. "I'm tired, so why don't we just sleep?"

Under closer emanation, Karin did look very tired. The day's travel, and their argument had had their toll on her, and he didn't find the strength to argue getting a second room any longer.

"Please."

"I'll take the floor." He said gruffly.

"Are-are you _stupid_?" Karin asked incredulously. "You can't do that! Your back will be shot tomorrow and you'll be grumpy and it will be even worse than today! Just get in bed."

"No."

"Yes. Stop being a priss and get in bed."

"Karin I said no."

"And I said yes."

"Karin your reputation-"

"Fuck my reputation! I'm the Princess so get in the fucking bed with me."

"Karin." He roared, finally losing his temper. "You are sleeping on the bed. I am sleeping on the floor and that is the end of this conversation. Do you understand me?"

Karin glared at him, and did not answer.

"I asked if you understood me." Toushirou repeated.

"Go fuck yourself." Karin said, before blowing the candle out and slipping under the covers.

Toushirou sighed and closed his eyes in defeat. He could only hope that tomorrow Karin would forgive him, but given the track record between them, it seemed extremely unlikely.

* * *

**W**hen Toushirou awoke he found in the middle of the night, Karin had left the bed, taking a blanket and had ended up entwined with him.

He wasn't unhappy.

* * *

**A/N:**

I really truly apologize for taking so long with this chapter. Unfortunately life gets in the way of this, but to make it up to you, I'm not going to the bar to troll for a rebound "boytoy" tonight, I instead hammered out this chapter.

Now, firstly I should state that most of the inspiration of love in this story, and the relationships are based (un)fortunately my nearest and dearest, and my own. My own relationship recently ended in the beginning of November, and that did put a stall in the writing as I had lost the Toushirou model. Now it should be noted that when I say 'Toushirou model' I strictly mean the way my ex talks and logics things out is similar to Toushirou and in this particular setting. Though he much rather be Ichigo if given the chance. There is a reason why Karin and Toushirou are not getting along so well, and I do hope you will root for this couple as I try to make them follow the course set, at least somewhat.

Secondly, I mentioned that there are two different countries, and while realistically we would put them on opposite sides of the Hida mountains, in perhaps a westernized medieval Japan, as I already referenced England (if you caught it points to you); I however always think of the Kurosaki kingdom speaking with a British accent, something akin to Noel Fielding's accent, and his mannerisms, and the Kuchiki clan is much more stereotypically Asian. they are more quiet, more subdue, and not as comfortable with physical contact, something that will come up. I had Rukia mention it, because I had a British accent in my head the entire time.

I've always been dealing with the end of my relationship by watching 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', brilliant work. I love it.

Oh! I also made a tumblr, bit late I know. But my tumblr .com , is filled with things I fangirl about/ship, as well as snippits of works in progress, spoilers, teasers, and if you follow me, I'll do a drabble with a prompt of your choice from any of my fandoms, which you can find listed. Please follow me, I'd love to make friends.

Lastly, I'll be off on a vacation with my family for the next month I suppose, so contact from me will be little, unless of course it's tumblr, because I've got hooked to my phone. Wonderful thing iPhones. I love mine. I woke up two days after the break up and my phone didn't turn on, so that was a lovely setback.

So until then, Happy whatever you happen to celebrate. Thank you so much for reading, and thank you to everyone who leaves a review, or a favourite or a follow, I really love those.

Much love,  
Suki


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